/ Sister Sledge

Good times are on the way from the tight-knit musical unit that made everybody dance. On November 23, Atlantic Records and Rhino will celebrate the 40th anniversary of CHIC's chart-topping, record-breaking "Le Freak" with a new box set. The CHIC Organization 1977-1979 will arrive in 5-CD and 6-LP formats, bringing together new Nile Rodgers Signature Edition remasters of CHIC's first three albums plus Sister Sledge's CHIC-produced We Are Family and a bonus disc of period single edits and

In 2010, Dimitri from Paris was invited to remix a number of tracks from the venerable CHIC catalogue for The CHIC Organization Box Set. Vol. 1: Savoir Faire. The Turkish-born, French music producer and DJ's remixed takes on classics like "I Want Your Love," "I Feel Your Love Comin' On," Sister Sledge's "Thinking of You" and "Lost in Music," and Norma Jean Wright's "Saturday" were all released as digital singles. Now, those remixes and more have just been collected on a new set available on 2

"We Are Family" catapulted Sister Sledge to stardom in 1979, but while the uplifting anthem was a breakthrough, it wasn't a beginning. Philadelphia-based Kathy Sledge and her three older sisters Debbie, Joni and Kim had been recording for Atlantic Records since 1973 when all four members were still teenagers. In 1975, Sister Sledge's first album, Circle of Love, was released. This lost gem has been previously released on CD in a bare-bones version, but Cherry Red's Big Break Records label has

Rhino U.K. is bringing disco back with a new triple-disc compilation of dance classics, and an updated reissue of a successful compilation released earlier this year.
First up, Rhino's reissuing the new Nile Rodgers/CHIC compilation Up All Night. The double-disc set, originally compiled by Wayne A. Dickson of Big Break Records and mastered by Dickson and BBR engineer Nick Robbins, with liner notes from Christian John Wikane, was released in July to capitalize on Rodgers' highly enjoyable wave

With CHIC co-founder/co-producer/guitarist Nile Rodgers back in the musical spotlight where he belongs - his distinctive funk guitar anchors Daft Punk's chart-topping single "Get Lucky," the arguable song of the summer - Rhino's U.K. arm has done well to introduce another CHIC-oriented compilation to stores.
Up All Night: The Greatest Hits (cheekily named after a lyric in "Get Lucky") is more than just a set of tracks by the immortal disco band. Sixteen of the album's 25 tracks are classics

Ever feel like all the fancy bonus content and packaging on some reissues totally overshadows the music? Rhino's European division must've felt so, too: they released a handful of Original Album Series boxes a few weeks ago, featuring a lot of music with a minimum of frills and a relatively low price.
The titles - five albums by one artist, housed in mini-LP cardboard sleeves and put into a box - are the ideal quick, easy discography builder for new fans or collectors with a few notable gaps on

It's a crime that when you talk about CHIC, many of the players who made up arguably the greatest band of the disco era aren't alive to hear your words of praise. Bernard Edwards, CHIC's bassist and co-producer, died in 1997; drummer Tony Thompson passed away in 2003. Nile Rodgers, guitarist, co-producer and keeper of the CHIC flame, could easily have met the same early fate had he not been lucky enough to discover the cancer that he's been since late last year. (Rodgers, one of the best users

Well, another New Year is in sight, the CD still isn't dead (told you so!) and celebration is in the air at The Second Disc. Back on December 23, Mike shared The Year in Reissues both here and over with our pals at Popdose. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 bucks until you read these indispensable columns!
Are you back with me? Good. Now, I'd like to take this opportunity to take a fun look back at a few of my favorite things via Joe's Gold Bonus Disc Awards! I'm awarding these to the reissues

If you love Rhino France's new CHIC box set as much as we do here at The Second Disc HQ (expect a review up in a few days or so), here's another title you'll probably enjoy: the Music Club Deluxe label in the U.K. is releasing a new two-disc compilation for Sister Sledge.
Sister Sledge, indeed comprised of Philadelphia-based sisters named Sledge (Kim, Debbi, Joni and Kathy), were a moderately successful R&B/dance group in the Atlantic label group (first signing to Atco, then Cotillion) that

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